GB2344086A - Fuel tank assembly - Google Patents

Fuel tank assembly Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2344086A
GB2344086A GB9826072A GB9826072A GB2344086A GB 2344086 A GB2344086 A GB 2344086A GB 9826072 A GB9826072 A GB 9826072A GB 9826072 A GB9826072 A GB 9826072A GB 2344086 A GB2344086 A GB 2344086A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
check valve
fuel
fuel tank
filler pipe
assembly according
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB9826072A
Other versions
GB2344086B (en
GB9826072D0 (en
Inventor
Christopher John Bibby
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
MG Rover Group Ltd
Original Assignee
MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by MG Rover Group Ltd filed Critical MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority to GB9826072A priority Critical patent/GB2344086B/en
Publication of GB9826072D0 publication Critical patent/GB9826072D0/en
Priority to AU10644/00A priority patent/AU1064400A/en
Priority to EP99954231A priority patent/EP1133403B1/en
Priority to AT99954231T priority patent/ATE269797T1/en
Priority to DE69918328T priority patent/DE69918328T2/en
Priority to PCT/GB1999/003770 priority patent/WO2000032431A1/en
Publication of GB2344086A publication Critical patent/GB2344086A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2344086B publication Critical patent/GB2344086B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K15/00—Arrangement in connection with fuel supply of combustion engines or other fuel consuming energy converters, e.g. fuel cells; Mounting or construction of fuel tanks
    • B60K15/03—Fuel tanks
    • B60K15/04—Tank inlets

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Cooling, Air Intake And Gas Exhaust, And Fuel Tank Arrangements In Propulsion Units (AREA)

Abstract

A motor vehicle fuel tank assembly includes an inlet check valve 15 at the lower end 14 of a filler pipe to a fuel tank 11. The inlet check valve 15 has a hinged flap 23 biased onto a discharge orifice 21 by a hairpin spring 26. The flap 23 incorporates an auxiliary check valve 30 comprising a poppet 28 having a head 29 biased against an orifice 31 in the hinged flap 23 by a helical spring 32. The helical spring 32 has a preload which is considerably lower than the preload of the hairpin spring 26 which allows the auxiliary check valve 30 to open when fuel enters the filler neck at a slow rate (trickle filling), thus preventing the build-up of fuel in the filler pipe 13.

Description

Motor Vehicle Fuel Tank Assembl The invention relates to fuel tank assemblies for motor vehicles. A typical fuel tank assembly comprises a fuel tank, a filler neck, a filler pipe connecting the filler neck to the fuel tank and an inlet check valve at the base of the filler pipe to prevent a back flow of fuel from the tank through the filler pipe. A regular function of the check valve is to prevent blow back when the fuel tank is being replenished at a fuel filling station and to meet this requirement alone the design can be relatively simple. However, for safety in the event of a vehicle crash which causes the filler pipe to be fractured or torn away, there is a requirement for the inlet check valve to remain firmly sealed. This creates design problems in that the inlet check valve must open under the limited pressure available from the head of fuel in the filler pipe. This puts a severe limitation on the load of any biasing spring used to keep the check valve closed and in turn can mean that any seals of elastomeric material have scarcely sufficient sealing pressure to make an effective seal. Conversely, if the biasing spring load is high and fuel enters the filler neck at only a slow rate (trickle filling) there may be a tendency for the level of fuel to rise in the filler pipe and spill over.
The present invention aims to overcome the abovementioned problem.
According to the invention there is provided a fuel tank assembly for a motor vehicle and comprising a fuel tank, a filler neck, a filler pipe connecting the filler neck to the fuel tank and an inlet check valve at the lower end of the filler pipe to prevent a back flow of fuel from the tank through the filler pipe, the inlet check valve having a discharge orifice which is normally closed by a valve member which is in use movable against a spring bias by the pressure of fuel in the filler pipe, and an auxiliary check valve in or adjacent the inlet check valve and arranged to admit fuel from the filler pipe into the fuel tank at a lower pressure. Conveniently the auxiliary check valve is in the valve member.
The valve member may comprise a hinged flap.
Preferably the valve member incorporates an elastomeric seal in which case the elastomeric seal may seat on a frusto-conical surface of the discharge orifice.
The auxiliary check valve may comprises a poppet having a head which is spring biased against an orifice, in which case the orifice may be in the valve member. The poppet head may incorporate an elastomeric seal which may seat on a frusto-conical surface of the auxiliary valve orifice..
The invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. l is a simplified diagrammatic cross-section of a fuel tank assembly according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the base of a filler pipe and an inlet check valve of the assembly shown in Fig. 1 ; A motor vehicle fuel tank assembly comprises a fuel tank 11, filler neck 12 and a filler pipe 13 connecting the filler neck to the tank. At the lower end 14 of the filler pipe 13 there is an inlet check valve 15 to prevent a back flow of fuel from the tank 11 through the filler pipe. A breather pipe 16 connects an air space above the level of fuel in the fuel tank 11 to the filler neck 12 through a breather check valve 17 and a carbon filter 18.
The inlet check valve 15 has a discharge orifice 21 which faces towards the base 22 of the tank 11 and this is normally closed by a valve member in the form of a hinged flap 23which is pivoted at 24 to a support web 25 on the tank 11. A hairpin-type spring 26 is provided to spring bias the flap 23 against the discharge orifice 21. The interengaging surfaces of the discharge orifice 21 and the hinged flap 23 are frusto-conical and sealed by an elastomeric seal 27.
The hinged flap 23 incorporates an auxiliary check valve 30 comprising a poppet 28 having a head 29 which is biased against an orifice 31 in the hinged flap 23 by a helical spring 32. To support the helical spring 32 and provide a guide for the poppet 28 the hinged flap has a flanged boss 33 which is supported by a generally cylindrical portion 34 having apertures 35. The interengaging surfaces of the poppet head 29 and the orifice 31 are also frusto-conical and sealed by another elastomeric seal 36.
In use the pressure derived from the head of fuel entering the filler pipe 13 through the filler neck 12 acts on the hinged flap 23 so that it pivots against the bias of the hairpin spring 26. Above the discharge orifice 21, the lower end 14 of the filler pipe 13 is curved so that the flow of incoming fuel is diverted towards the base of the tank in a single stream, particularly under high flow conditions when the flap 23 can move to one side of this stream.
In order for the seal 27 on the hinged flap 23 to have sufficient sealing pressure against the opposing face of the discharge orifice 21, the hairpin spring 26 has to have a preload which is related to the circumference of the seal. If fuel enters the filler neck 12 at only a slow rate (trickle filling) there may be a tendency for the level of fuel to rise in the filler pipe 13. To prevent this the preload of the helical spring 32 of the auxiliary check valve 30 is considerably lower, this being possible because of the reduced circumference of the seal 36.
By encouraging the fuel to enter the tank as a single stream directed towards the base of the tank there is reduced turbulence of the fuel and a reduced amount of fuel spray in the air space above the fuel. This reduces the amount of gas released from the fuel so that the discharge of hydrocarbons through the breather pipe 16 is reduced.
The inlet check valve 15 may be modified to remove the auxiliary check valve 30 and put it or a functionally similar valve in an adjacent part of the filler pipe lower end 14.

Claims (10)

  1. CLAIMS 1. A fuel tank assembly for a motor vehicle and comprising a fuel tank, a filler neck, a filler pipe connecting the filler neck to the fuel tank and an inlet check valve at the lower end of the filler pipe to prevent a back flow of fuel from the tank through the filler pipe, the inlet check valve having a discharge orifice which is normally closed by a valve member which is in use movable against a spring bias by the pressure of fuel in the filler pipe, and an auxiliary check valve in or adjacent the inlet check valve and arranged to admit fuel from the filler pipe into the fuel tank at a lower pressure.
  2. 2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the auxiliary check valve is in the valve member.
  3. 3. An assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the valve member comprises a hinged flap.
  4. 4. An assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the valve member incorporates an elastomeric seal.
  5. 5. An assembly according to claim 4 wherein the elastomeric seal seats on a frusto-conical surface of the discharge orifice.
  6. 6. An assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the auxiliary check valve comprises a poppet having a head which is spring biased against an auxiliary valve orifice
  7. 7. An assembly according to claim 6. wherein the auxiliary valve orifice is in the valve member.
  8. 8. An assembly according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the poppet head incorporates an elastomeric seal.
  9. 9. An assembly according to claim 8 wherein the poppet head elastomeric seal seats on a frusto-conical surface of the auxiliary valve orifice.
  10. 10. A fuel tank assembly substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB9826072A 1998-11-28 1998-11-28 Motor vehicle fuel tank assembly Expired - Fee Related GB2344086B (en)

Priority Applications (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9826072A GB2344086B (en) 1998-11-28 1998-11-28 Motor vehicle fuel tank assembly
DE69918328T DE69918328T2 (en) 1998-11-28 1999-11-11 FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY FOR MOTOR VEHICLE
EP99954231A EP1133403B1 (en) 1998-11-28 1999-11-11 Motor vehicle fuel tank assembly
AT99954231T ATE269797T1 (en) 1998-11-28 1999-11-11 FUEL TANK ARRANGEMENT FOR MOTOR VEHICLE
AU10644/00A AU1064400A (en) 1998-11-28 1999-11-11 Motor vehicle fuel tank assembly
PCT/GB1999/003770 WO2000032431A1 (en) 1998-11-28 1999-11-11 Motor vehicle fuel tank assembly

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9826072A GB2344086B (en) 1998-11-28 1998-11-28 Motor vehicle fuel tank assembly

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9826072D0 GB9826072D0 (en) 1999-01-20
GB2344086A true GB2344086A (en) 2000-05-31
GB2344086B GB2344086B (en) 2002-03-06

Family

ID=10843212

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9826072A Expired - Fee Related GB2344086B (en) 1998-11-28 1998-11-28 Motor vehicle fuel tank assembly

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2344086B (en)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2382862A (en) * 2001-12-04 2003-06-11 Visteon Global Tech Inc Throttle valve having a pressure relief valve
DE102010048842A1 (en) 2010-10-18 2012-04-19 Daimler Ag Fuel tank installed in motorcar, has tank inlet valve in which refueling process is performed until specific level is reached, such that valve is locked according to termination of refueling process
DE102010048844A1 (en) 2010-10-18 2012-04-19 Daimler Ag Fuel tank for motor vehicle, comprises tank filler pipe, tank vent, level sensor and tank inlet valve, where tank vent valve is closed upon reaching filling level, and low pressure is applied on fuel tank
DE102010048841A1 (en) 2010-10-18 2012-04-19 Daimler Ag Fuel tank for motor vehicle, comprises tank filling tube, tank vent, filling level sensor and tank inlet valve, where tank vent valve is moved upon reaching filling level, where low pressure is applied on fuel tank
DE102010048843A1 (en) 2010-10-18 2012-04-19 Daimler Ag Fuel tank for storing e.g. petrol, in front refueling motor car, has tank inlet valve that is lockable during refueling when fuel in tank reaches preset level, where tank inlet valve is opened after termination of refueling

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2382862A (en) * 2001-12-04 2003-06-11 Visteon Global Tech Inc Throttle valve having a pressure relief valve
US6981519B2 (en) 2001-12-04 2006-01-03 Visteon Global Technologies, Inc. Pressure-regulating valve
DE102010048842A1 (en) 2010-10-18 2012-04-19 Daimler Ag Fuel tank installed in motorcar, has tank inlet valve in which refueling process is performed until specific level is reached, such that valve is locked according to termination of refueling process
DE102010048844A1 (en) 2010-10-18 2012-04-19 Daimler Ag Fuel tank for motor vehicle, comprises tank filler pipe, tank vent, level sensor and tank inlet valve, where tank vent valve is closed upon reaching filling level, and low pressure is applied on fuel tank
DE102010048841A1 (en) 2010-10-18 2012-04-19 Daimler Ag Fuel tank for motor vehicle, comprises tank filling tube, tank vent, filling level sensor and tank inlet valve, where tank vent valve is moved upon reaching filling level, where low pressure is applied on fuel tank
DE102010048843A1 (en) 2010-10-18 2012-04-19 Daimler Ag Fuel tank for storing e.g. petrol, in front refueling motor car, has tank inlet valve that is lockable during refueling when fuel in tank reaches preset level, where tank inlet valve is opened after termination of refueling

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2344086B (en) 2002-03-06
GB9826072D0 (en) 1999-01-20

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
732E Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977)
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee